Weapons in an RV

We are frequently asked if we carry weapons in our RV. The answer is we stopped carrying any firearms nor other types of identifiable weapons a few years ago because we were crossing into Canada at least once per year for the last five-six-seven years. You cannot take most weapons into their country—legally. I highly recommend you not try it illegally. They and their dogs are very good at searching vehicles. I know this from experience.

If, in the future, we were not going into Canada or Mexico, I would again carry a firearm in our coach. I grew up with firearms, feel absolutely comfortable around them, have been trained and know how to safely handle them, and should the need arise, would not hesitate to protect myself, my family, or my home. This RV is my home—I have no other.

[Author Note… I am not trying to be a social advocate or open any social or political dialogue here but merely offering my opinion of what I would do. Neither am I suggesting what you should do. I believe this is a personal decision.]

Having said that, if I were to carry again, I would do so legally like I did before. When we lived in Texas, we both took the classroom instruction and test, qualified on the range, and for several years were licensed to carry concealed weapons. A number of states have reciprocal agreements and if you are licensed in one state, other states may acknowledge that agreement.

However, that is not true with Canada or Mexico. Neither country has any type of reciprocal agreement with the USA to my knowledge. I have no experience crossing the border into Mexico. It has been at least 20 years since I have done that. But, as I stated previously, we go into Canada every year. Here’s my one Canadian-crossing story…

A Personal Story… On a border crossing into Canada, I didn’t think they were going to let us in. There were lots of questions from the booth person and then we went inside where they went over the same stuff. He checked our licenses (this was pre-passport days). They were clean. They asked to look inside the coach. No problem. We’ve been through this before.

Three custom’s agents were waiting by our door. I went with the one outside and she went through every storage compartment—accessing both sides—and then our tow car, looking thoroughly. I finally went inside and watched as they looked in every door, drawer, nook, and cranny—took their time—flashlights shining in the rear of those shelf-storage areas, carefully moving things in front to be able to see in back. It was interesting that they did not ask me to put my slides out.

Finally, one took me outside and asked if I had any weapons on board. I said no (the truth). He said he was getting his dog and that if there were any weapons or drugs, the dog would find them, period. The dog doesn’t fail. I told him to get the dog.

Then the surprise—he said they had found two empty handgun “holsters” in the bedroom and again, did I have any weapons on board? No, I said that I had previously owned a handgun but just sold it to a firearms dealer because we were going into Canada and that I had the receipt. He asked to see it. While looking at the receipt, he seemed to ask what I thought were “tricky” questions—I guess trying to get me to say that I had a weapon. I didn’t.

He got the dog (he even carried it to the coach so it wouldn’t walk through the water and mud outside). The dog went everywhere inside and we evidently got a clean “sniff.” They never put the slides out and in the bedroom, crawled around on the bed to check cabinets. They even had the dog on the bed to allow it to check the rear closet.

After about 90 minutes of four people searching our coach, we were sent on our way.